1. Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of walkers, walking canes or other apparatuses to facilitate the free movement of individuals and, more particularly, to a cane/walker hybrid capable of addressing various levels of mobility assistance.
2. Description of Related Art
Most people think of mobility aids as walking support, but they may also serve to facilitate less important roles by assisting people in getting in and out of bed, transitioning to or from a sitting position, and becoming generally more mobile.
Standing and taking a normal stride provide important benefits to the body. They help breathing efficiency, maintain muscle tone, increase the production of antibodies that fight infection, reduce loss of calcium in bones, and allow food to pass through the digestive system more properly and easily than when a person is if confined to the bed or impeded by a walker.
Unfortunately, mobility devices have a stigma associated with their use. Often people experience embarrassment and frustration or become upset if required to use these devices. Mobility aids often signal a loss of function and dignity as well. However these aids can help one gain their previous abilities or slow their deterioration. They additionally help in reducing pain associated with movement. Walking aids also alert others to be patient and careful around people who use them. Canes, walkers, and wheel chairs are tools that help people become mobile and live a more full life.
Older people and those with arthritis, leg or foot injuries, balance problems, strokes and degenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis can benefit greatly from the balance and support of a cane or walker. Unfortunately, fear of losing independence or appearing disabled prevents many from using a cane or walker. People instead prefer holding onto furniture or their spouse to get around. But, such actions are actually signs that a walking aid is needed.
Typically, a user progresses from one mobility aid to another as strength and abilities change. Standard canes are the easiest to handle and least cumbersome of all mobility aids. They can support about 25 percent of a person's weight whereas walkers support about 50 percent. Single point canes are the least restrictive and work best for people with minor injuries or balance problems but who can support most of their own weight. Many styles of canes are available, including collapsible models. The cane adequately allows the patient to achieve balance, but should not be used for weight bearing. For patients suffering from a more serious balance deficit, a quad cane (one with four small legs) may be used. Most people do not understand the function of a cane and therefore do not actually receive benefit from its use. A cane with an offset handle is the most stable type of cane. The weight of the user is placed directly over the cane base, allowing greater control.
Quad canes have four “feet” configured in either a narrow-base or wide-base, and offer greater stability to those with more serious balance issues but no major weight-bearing problems.
Recommended cane use is typically illustrated by a user holding a cane on the stronger side of the body to reduce the amount of weight placed on the weak or injured side, thus providing better overall balance. The user places all of their weight on the unaffected leg and simultaneously moves the cane and the weaker leg forward. The cane supports the walker leg while the user steps forward with the stronger leg. The heel of the stronger foot should be placed a little beyond the tip of the cane. The cane should be placed firmly on the ground with each step, being careful to not place it too far ahead, as this may result in slipping of the cane.
Canes serve an important function as a mobility device, but their function is limited by the narrow spectrum of their suitable uses. Canes are adequate for the individuals who are uncomfortable walking without some type of assistance. Additionally, canes also provide minimal support to the user. The simple design of a cane provides users with an inconspicuous device that offers dignity and character to an individual without calling great attention to a person's aliments or physical needs. As the need for greater stability increases, the individual loses confidence in the cane and moves to the next level of assistance in walking.
Walkers are the next level of support for the mobility impaired and are a major transition. There are many challenges, both physically and psychologically, in transitioning from a cane to a four-legged walker. While the cane may be required as an addition to ones normal walking activity, in some cultures a cane is a symbol of stateliness and is not necessarily viewed as a medical device. In contrast, patients frequently do not willingly transition to a walker, as it “announces” one's physical disability. This reluctance leads to estimates that roughly 60% of elderly persons needing assistance refuse to use a cane or walker because of the stigma associated with such device.
Walkers are stable mobility devices which can help patients who have significant balance deficits that are too severe for a cane. Having four legs, the walker offers a relatively light weight, stable device. Walkers come in two basic variations, standard and roller. Standard walkers are lightweight frame devices having handles and four rubber-tipped feet. As patients increase their weight-bearing status, they may “graduate” to a rolling walker, which continues to offer balance and moderate weight-bearing assistance. Roller walkers are similar to standard walkers, but usually have wheels in place of some or all of the feet. They're best for those who can bear weight but need more help with balance than a cane provides. Walkers demand the least coordination.
Utilizing a walker requires a different technique than that used with a cane. The user places or rolls the walker to a position a step's length ahead of them, taking care not to place the walker too far ahead to prevent slippage. The user then leans slightly forward, holding the arms of the walker for support, and takes a step forward. It is important that the user is careful to not step too close to the walker or they may lose their balance. Additionally, all manufacturers discourage users from using the walkers on stairs due to the bulk and cumbersome qualities associated with them.
Adoption and use of a four-legged walker is attended by major adjustments and drawbacks to a user. The cumbersome nature of the device is well known and very restrictive to those who must use them. The dimensions of a four-legged walker are the main reason that walkers are uncomfortable and unwieldy. In order to achieve greater stability for a user, the four-legged walker must contact the ground at multiple points, this requirement limits use of four-legged walkers on uneven ground. As the distance between the legs increases, so does the degree of provided stability. The “Footprint” of the walker-assisted individual compared to an unassisted individual is increased nearly 3-fold, making turning and negotiating obstacles difficult. A walker takes up about the same space as a typical dining chair. Maneuvering around normally placed furniture is often impossible.
Movies glamorize cane use as a symbol of class and elegance, but society labels persons using canes and other medical devices, such as walkers, as infirm or disabled. These labels and the large degree of difference between cane and walker use prevent people from making the transition from cane to walker despite that transition being in the best interest of the person. For this reason, many people who would benefit forgo use of such devices.
Presently there is a lack of mobility-assistive devices that can fulfill the continuum of gradually increasing or decreasing needs for walking assistance. For individuals in this category, support provided by a cane is inadequate and the level of support provided by a walker is unnecessary.